US3672297A — Printing control device in high speed chain print…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 320 words

In a printer having a certain number of print positions which are spaced apart a predetermined distance and an endless chain containing a certain number of type characters in one or more character sets, said characters being spaced apart a distance greater than the predetermined distance between print positions such that consecutive type characters are brought into alignment with one of said print positions at the beginning of consecutive scans and each of said scans including a plurality of subscans in each of which a certain fraction of the characters are brought into alignment with said print positions, said printer including a plurality of hammers for causing a record to be brought into cooperating relationship with the type characters at the various print positions when it is desired to print a certain character at that print position, there being fewer hammers than there are print positions and the printer including means for shifting said hammers so that all of said print positions may be printed, the improvement residing in, means for providing a signal at the start of each set of type characters referenced to a predetermined print position and additional signals as each type character of the set passes that predetermined position, a counter providing an output signal initiated by said start signal at the beginning of each set of type characters and operated by the additional signals representing type characters in the set, and counter modifying means connected to said counter to modify the counter output signal, said modifying means including second counter means providing count signals representative of particular print positions together with positions of adjustment of said hammers and the sub-scan being taken which when combined with the counter output signal provide a modified counter output signal indicative of the identity of the type character on the chain passing said particular print position for the purpose of indicating its availability to print at that print position.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 320 words

In a printer having a certain number of print positions which are spaced apart a predetermined distance and an endless chain containing a certain number of type characters in one or more character sets, said characters being spaced apart a distance greater than the predetermined distance between print positions such that consecutive type characters are brought into alignment with one of said print positions at the beginning of consecutive scans and each of said scans including a plurality of subscans in each of which a certain fraction of the characters are brought into alignment with said print positions, said printer including a plurality of hammers for causing a record to be brought into cooperating relationship with the type characters at the various print positions when it is desired to print a certain character at that print position, there being fewer hammers than there are print positions and the printer including means for shifting said hammers so that all of said print positions may be printed, the improvement residing in, means for providing a signal at the start of each set of type characters referenced to a predetermined print position and additional signals as each type character of the set passes that predetermined position, a counter providing an output signal initiated by said start signal at the beginning of each set of type characters and operated by the additional signals representing type characters in the set, and counter modifying means connected to said counter to modify the counter output signal, said modifying means including second counter means providing count signals representative of particular print positions together with positions of adjustment of said hammers and the sub-scan being taken which when combined with the counter output signal provide a modified counter output signal indicative of the identity of the type character on the chain passing said particular print position for the purpose of indicating its availability to print at that print position.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 66 words

The printer of claim 1 in which the first named counter is initiated by the start signal of each set for each scan with the counter counting each character of the set until the last character of the set is reached and with the counter being cleared at the end of each set and conditioned for reinitiation with each change in adjustment position of the hammers.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 47 words

The printer of claim 2 in which the first named counter includes a shift register and the second named counter includes a second shift register with the output of the two shift registers being combined by an adder and fed back to the first named shift register.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 128 words

The printer of claim 1 in which the hammer means for causing a record to be brought into cooperative relationship with the type characters at the various print positions includes a relationship where the number of hammers is less than the number of print positions by some multiple of the number of hammers such that the one hammer services several adjacent print positions, cam means for simultaneously positioning each of the hammers relative to various print positions, and including transducer means for indicating the position of the hammers with respect to certain print positions, said transducer means providing a predetermined signal for the respective hammer positions and being connected to the second named counter to provide the signal therefrom to modify the signals on the first named counter.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 119 words

The printer of claim 2 in which the means for providing a signal at the start of each set referenced to the first print position and additional signals as each character of the set passes the predetermined position includes a signal drum connected to and operated with the endless chain for moving the same relative to the print positions with the drum having magnetic means cooperating with a magnetic transducer distributed about the periphery of the same for each character of the set and with an additional magnetic means to indicate the start of the set and in which the drum is driven such that it makes a complete revolution for each set of characters in the endless chain.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 56 words

The printer of claim 2 in which the first named counter includes a binary counter controlled by the additional signals which feeds a seven bit shift register and including clock means for controlling the adding a bit for each additional signal to maintain a count of the characters in each set passing a predetermined print position.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 48 words

The printer of claim 6 in which the modifying means is a four bit shift register connected to and receiving signals from the counter counting each scan of the type characters with reference to the predetermined positions and the particular hammer position for the print position being considered.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 60 words

The printer of claim 7 in which the seven bit register and the four bit shift register are connected to and added in an adder a bit at a time with the output of the adder being fed to the seven bit shift register to modify the data therein in accord with the input from the four bit shift register.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 74 words

The printer of claim 8 in which the adder includes means responsive to the count in the seven bit shift register which senses the approach of the final characters in the set and modifies the operation of the adder to restart count corresponding with the characters of the next succeeding set such that the adder will condition the seven bit register with a number corresponding to the character in the next succeeding type set.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 87 words

The printer of claim 1 in which the modifying means includes means responsive to hammer position and sub-scan being taken to initially modify the counter output signal at the start of a sub-scan to identify the type character under the first print position considered at the start of the sub-scan and additional means providing a constant modifying factor to the counter output signal to identify the type character at sequentially available print positions at which a hammer is located which are optioned to print in said sub-scan.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 69 words

The printer of claim 8 in which the seven bit register is reset from the binary counter at the start of each scan and initialized by the output of the four bit register for the first print position of the scan and including means controlling the four bit register to add a fixed signal thereto for each succeeding print position in which a hammer is positioned in a subscan.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 33 words

The printer of claim 5 in which the drum having magnEtic means associated therewith includes three magnetic means for each character in the type character set to identify the start of a sub-scan.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 283 words

In a printer, an endless movable chain having distributed thereon in different locations a plurality of separate type characters forming a set, means for carrying sheet material on which the characters are to be printed, a plurality of print hammers each of which is adapted to register with a plurality of print positions, means for moving the hammers in unison such that each of said hammers registers in one operative position with one of said print positions and registers in another operative position with another of said print positions, means for selectively identifying the location in the set of characters of each of the separate characters on the chain in alignment with the print positions where hammers are located by scanning characters on the chain for said print positions, means for storing signals representative of the type characters on said print chain, means for storing a line of data to be printed, means for using the identification of the characters on the chain for obtaining the signals representative of the characters on the chain in alignment with a print hammer at the print position corresponding to the data in said print position, means for comparing the signals representative of the characters on the chain with a character from said line of data to be printed and for firing the corresponding print hammer on a compare to effect printing in said print position, said means for selectively identifying by location in the set of characters each separate character including a counter which counts each character of the set which passes a predetermined print position and a counter modifying means which modifies the first named counter for a print scan being taken and hammer position.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 283 words

In a printer, an endless movable chain having distributed thereon in different locations a plurality of separate type characters forming a set, means for carrying sheet material on which the characters are to be printed, a plurality of print hammers each of which is adapted to register with a plurality of print positions, means for moving the hammers in unison such that each of said hammers registers in one operative position with one of said print positions and registers in another operative position with another of said print positions, means for selectively identifying the location in the set of characters of each of the separate characters on the chain in alignment with the print positions where hammers are located by scanning characters on the chain for said print positions, means for storing signals representative of the type characters on said print chain, means for storing a line of data to be printed, means for using the identification of the characters on the chain for obtaining the signals representative of the characters on the chain in alignment with a print hammer at the print position corresponding to the data in said print position, means for comparing the signals representative of the characters on the chain with a character from said line of data to be printed and for firing the corresponding print hammer on a compare to effect printing in said print position, said means for selectively identifying by location in the set of characters each separate character including a counter which counts each character of the set which passes a predetermined print position and a counter modifying means which modifies the first named counter for a print scan being taken and hammer position.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 130 words

The printer of claim 13 in which the counter which counts the characters in the set passing a predetermined position includes a first shift register which maintains the count of characters therein and the modifying means includes a second set of counters and a second shift register with the second set of counters counting the scan taking place and the hammer position to provide an initialized signal at the start of a scan to indicate the first print position of the scan available for printing, and including adder means combining the totals in the first and second shift registers and reinserting the same in the first shift register to provide a count indication of the character aligned with the print position available for printing at the start of a scan.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 43 words

The printer of claim 14 in which the second counters and the second shift register after initialization at the start of a scan provides an incrementer signal to indicate each print position after the first print position in a scan available for printing.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 34 words

The printer of claim 15 in which the first named shift register is reset by its counter at the start of each scan and initialized by the output of the second named shift register.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 82 words

The printer of claim 16 in which the adder includes means responsive to the count of the first named shift register sensing approach of the final characters in the set to modify the operation of the adder and to restart the count corresponding with characters in the next succeeding set such that the adder will condition the first named shift register with the number corresponding to the character in the next succeeding character set aligned with the print position optioned for printing.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	1975-06-27	1975-12-27	1976-06-27	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	1979-06-27	1979-12-27	1980-06-27	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	1983-06-27	1983-12-27	1984-06-27	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Printing control device in high speed chain printer with hammers movable to plural print positions

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